The Fire House

The Fire House

In 1950, shortly after the creation of the Municipality of Barnston West (in 1946) linking the villages of Kingscroft and Way's Mills, the residents decided to establish their own fire service. Together with a series of fund-raising dances and a grant from the Provincial Fire Commission, they raised enough money to buy the equipment and build the fire hall. Emery Duquette managed the project. In 1952, the Barnston West Fire Service was inaugurated under Chief J. M. Routhier.
As happened in many rural municipalities, men from the community, about twenty of them at any one time, were ready to jump into action at the call of the siren atop the tower specially built for the drying of the cotton hoses.
While it lasted, the Barnston West Fire Service, with its ex-army truck equipped with a wooden box to house the fire-fighting gear, and its pump trailer hitched up behind, was well-known for its efficiency in fighting fires.
The service was so capable that in 1953, the Municipality made a regulation limiting calls from outside the municipality.
By the 1980's, the equipment was worn out and replacement would have been prohibitive for a small municipality like Barnston West. Finally, agreements were made with neighbouring municipalities who have taken over fire protection services for the inhabitants of Barnston West.
The Barnston West Fire Service was disbanded in 1980. On 2nd August, 1982 the municipality disconnected the electricity, thus ending the 28 year adventure.
In 2008, some local residents instituted the Barnston West Heritage and Culture Committee. This committee set up the Fire Hall Stop in the building, offering information for visitors on the Eastern Townships Tourist Trail. Free tours of our heritage buildings during the summer season were also offered. The park next door has picnic tables and toilet facilities.
Construction; wooden, clad with aluminum sheetingThe building is 6.89 metres long by 4.4 metres wide Roof height 5.5 metresTower height 18.7 metres